A FREAKISH own goal from John Danby in the sixth minute of injury time was enough to give the day's league-leaders Grays Athletic a share of the spoils after an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Recreation ground.

Harriers began the match with Gareth Sheldon back in the starting line-up at the expense of Simon Russell, whilst Wayne Graves made his first start of the season with Laurie Wilson handed a substitutes role.

The ever dangerous Taiwo Atieno was alert and sharp to take advantage of sloppiness in the Athletic back-line with just three minutes gone; his thumping shot was somehow cleared in front of goal by a covering defender.

 With the home side then beginning to show some great passing ability, Danby was forced into a decent save after just over eleven minutes, with Gary Hooper's shot looking particularly threatening after some good work by John Martin.

ATIENO: Close to another headed goal.

Dennis Oli tested Danby further just a couple of minutes later with a long range angled drive that the 'keeper was able to thwart with a strong diving stop.

Atieno went close to scoring his now trademark headed goal after a great cross from Hatswell on 23 minutes, but Ashley Bayes in the Grays goal showed his credentials with a superb fingertip save to tip the ball over.

Martin wasted a great chance to put the home side ahead six minutes before the break after his tame shot trickled harmlessly into Danby's hands - an effort that failed to match the excellent run from midfield.

Half Time: Grays Athletic 0-0 Harriers

Harriers appeared to re-emerge from the dressing room for the second period with an extra bounce in their step and the half was barely three minutes old when they took the lead.

An inviting cross by Sheldon found the head of Atieno out to the left of goal, and the man on loan from Walsall knocked the ball back into the box where Iyseden CHRISTIE was on hand to smash the ball into the roof of the net for his second goal in two games.

CHRISTIE: Finding the goalscoring touch.

The visitors weren't ahead for long though as it took Mark Stimson's men just five minutes to draw level. After Martin caught Wayne Evans out of position he capitalized by racing away down the flank to confront the onrushing Danby. With the goalkeeper committed, he cleverly squared the ball to HOOPER who had the simplest of tasks to knock the ball into the unguarded net.

It was almost a case of like-for-like when within minutes Harriers almost re-took the lead through a well-worked corner routine. Sheldon whipped the ball into the box where it met with the boot of Captain Mark Jackson, whose flicked effort spun just over the bar.

DANBY: Visibly distraught after own goal

Six minutes later though the away side did manage to re-take the lead thanks to another well worked goal. A long Sheldon throw-in was flicked on by the head of Atieno, and with the ball rolling into his path, CHRISTIE confidently finished past Bayes with no trouble to notch his second of the match.

Visibly spurred on by the goal, Harriers again charged forward with 15 minutes remaining as Atieno latched on to a sublimely lofted ball by substitute Russell, unluckily though, the striker sent his powerful shot just past the post.

Five minutes later with the home side now applying the pressure, substitute Aaron McLean's header looked destined to draw the scores level - and only a world-class save from Danby prevented it from happening.

Harriers' hearts were broken though as a bizarre own goal robbed them of all three points at the death. With the game in its SIXTH minute of injury time, a fairly routine ball from sub Bertie Brayley's corner looked to have been claimed in the air by Danby, but somehow the 'keeper lost his gripping and was helpless in sending it crashing into the back of his own net - to the understandable delight of the home faithful.

Full Time: Grays Athletic 2-2 Harriers

It was a crushing blow for anyone of a Harriers persuasion, but Danby's dejected, disconsolate reaction at the final whistle clearly showed he was as hurt as anyone else by the freakish slip. On the basis of the second half it may be regarded as two points dropped, but many would've taken the eventual result were it offered them prior to the game. The result still sees Harriers within a win of second spot and also extends the teams' unbeaten run to five games.

Grays Athletic: Bayes, Mawer, Stuart, Bruce, Nutter, Hooper, Thurgood, Martin, Poole (Brayley 69), Battersby (McLean 70), Oli
Subs not used: Matthews, Ayres, Brennan

HARRIERS: Danby, Evans, Jackson, Burgess, Hatswell, Sheldon (Burton 87), O'Connor (Wilson 43) , Fleming, Graves (Russell 64), Atieno, Christie
Subs not used: Thompson, Lewis

Referee: Steve Tomlinson

Attendance: 1,316

Website MoM: Iyseden Christie - Simply because he seemed to be everywhere at any given time and truly deserved his second-half brace. The goals, simple as they may have been, are often the hardest to score, and with three strikes to his name in two matches, the former Mansfield man must finally feel his lost confidence returning. His partnership with Atieno has now also produced seven goals from as many games - something not to be sniffed at!

Matt Wall at the Recreation Ground, Grays.